Possible Suspension Issues (or am I just nuts?)
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 503
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Possible Suspension Issues (or am I just nuts?)
I have a 2018 Street Glide that I bought (barely used) last year, it currently has under 4000 miles. I always thought my bike rode very harshly even after adjusting the stock shocks, but it wasn't until I got back from Sturgis that I realized how bad it is. We rented a 2019 Street Glide and 2019 Road Glide (I know... shoulda rode out...) and I got equal seat time on both. My bike doesn't ride or handle anything like either of those bikes. It is much harsher, it feels like it may bottom out of big bumps and will buck me off the seat occasionally. the front feels like its got very little suspension but dives under braking. Some bumps just feel like they shake the entire bike. The 19's ride very smooth in comparison, never bucked me once (though the roads were better), and felt a lot more stable and secure when cornering.
My bike also makes a deep-pitched whine when leaning over when swerving or cornering. It's noticeable. The other bikes had a slightly different tone when cornering but it was a lot more subtle/quiet.
What concerns me the most is the steering feel. Sometimes at low to moderate speeds when corning, especially to the right, the bike feels like it "locks up" and I have to kind of force it through or deeper into a turn. But it's not every time. Also, at lower speeds, say under 35-40 when cornering or swerving the front end feels like the forks are (or want to be turning). It almost feels like the front and rear aren't connected if that makes any sense. The steering was very smooth and linear on the 19's and the bike felt like a solid unit when cornering.
My bike is still under warranty and I don't want to take it in but probably should. Id like to get some ideas before I do so when they say there's nothing wrong I have something o push back with.
My bike also makes a deep-pitched whine when leaning over when swerving or cornering. It's noticeable. The other bikes had a slightly different tone when cornering but it was a lot more subtle/quiet.
What concerns me the most is the steering feel. Sometimes at low to moderate speeds when corning, especially to the right, the bike feels like it "locks up" and I have to kind of force it through or deeper into a turn. But it's not every time. Also, at lower speeds, say under 35-40 when cornering or swerving the front end feels like the forks are (or want to be turning). It almost feels like the front and rear aren't connected if that makes any sense. The steering was very smooth and linear on the 19's and the bike felt like a solid unit when cornering.
My bike is still under warranty and I don't want to take it in but probably should. Id like to get some ideas before I do so when they say there's nothing wrong I have something o push back with.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Take it into your dealer and use your warranty, that is what they are there for! I don't suggest you will ride away on a greatly improved bike, but get them to check out the things you mention. I had serious concerns about my SuperLow when I bought it new and my dealer dismantled the forks and checked various other things over. To my disappointment they declared everything was to spec - which simply told me what I had to do to improve my life when in the saddle!
There are ways to improve your ride quality and comfort, but it is well worth ensuring first that what you have is what you should have. Or buy yourself a new bike....
There are ways to improve your ride quality and comfort, but it is well worth ensuring first that what you have is what you should have. Or buy yourself a new bike....
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 503
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Thanks Guys.
Bad Tappets- I set the rear suspension according to my weight using the guide in the owners manual. I tried to adjust it a little each way, its better than it was, but still rides like a brick
grbrown- I'm going to make to make an appointment to get it into the dealer. See what they say before I do something crazy like trade it in. I've ridden a bike with Legend Suspension and it is already on my to-do list, but what surprised me is how much better the bone stock 2019 bikes were (there werent any big changes between 18-19).
My biggest concern is the loose/tight feeling in the steering. I really hate to have an issue while riding.
Bad Tappets- I set the rear suspension according to my weight using the guide in the owners manual. I tried to adjust it a little each way, its better than it was, but still rides like a brick
grbrown- I'm going to make to make an appointment to get it into the dealer. See what they say before I do something crazy like trade it in. I've ridden a bike with Legend Suspension and it is already on my to-do list, but what surprised me is how much better the bone stock 2019 bikes were (there werent any big changes between 18-19).
My biggest concern is the loose/tight feeling in the steering. I really hate to have an issue while riding.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 140
Likes: 25
From: Lake Placid,Fl.
Yes they ride a little hard....Some change to better shocks.....As far as the whine leaned over,its probably tires...Mine did it after about 5 k miles...Now have a new Avon on the rear nice and quiet.....
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 367
Likes: 264
From: Massachusetts
The stock shocks are terrible. I've tried to adjust them according to the guide and recommendations on my road king special. It still rode like trash either way. I swapped them out for aftermarket set up for my weight and riding style. Plus I changed them from the stock 12in. To a 13in length. To get more travel.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 2,896
From: Oklahoma
Need some rider analysis to help. Understand it is rough, but the cause is not clear. Are the shocks very stiff not allowing much travel or are they so soft that they bottom out making the bumps extremely hard? If they are stiff AND bottom out easily, that is a tough combination to cure. The moan, whine in turns is almost always tire cupping. Tires cup sooner and worse when under inflated and over loaded. How careful are you with tire pressure, and do you use the "book numbers" even when loaded? When the new frames were first introduced, the "resistance to turning" was mentioned often and attributed to the wider rear tire. If your rear tire has been run low on air or overloaded for the pressure it has in it, the flat strip in the middle is probably wider than it should be at this mileage and that flat strip does lots of strange things to the feel of the steering. The new bikes have new tires with no center flat strip...yet and feel ideal, much better than the same bike with 10,000 miles on the rear tire if it makes it that far. If you choose to upgrade the suspension and replace the rear tire, you might compare that cost with what you will need to pay for a new bike with yours as a trade in and decide which way you can afford or choose to go.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 2,896
From: Oklahoma
One more thought, any chance your present bike is a low model, while the ones you test rode were standard height? The "low" versions usually have less shock travel, translating into bottoming more easily.
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
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HI btsom, let me try to answer your questions:
1. Low suspension- I bought the bike used with very few miles on it, so I don't know if anything was changed (lowered) with the suspension. It seems to sit at the same height as other stock bikes. I have to wonder if maybe the first owner didn't notice some issues and traded it after owning only a few months? The bike is a 2018 Street Glide Standard 115th Anniversary edition.
2. Tire pressure- To be honest, I'm not super **** about tire pressures. I inflate them to "book" pressure 36/40. I don't ever load the bike, I ride solo (wife isn't into it). The tires have about 4k miles on them, could they already be bad?
3. Stiffness/Bottoming out- Honestly I can't tell if it seems to be bottoming out due to being too soft or too stiff? To me, it feels really stiff, I weigh about 190lbs, but I do notice a decent amount of front end drive under braking.
4. What brand/model do the 2019's run? The 2- bikes we had felt like completely different bikes compared to my farm tractor. If you blindfolded me and put me on those 2019's I would have not even known that they were the same model (one was an RG, but same basic bike)
5. New Parts- I had already planned to install the Legend Suspension Revo-A's and Axeo fork inserts. With install that's about $2000. How much are new tires, about $350-400?Im in a position to only lose about $1000 on trade of my bike, so a new Road Glide might actually make sense. LOL!
1. Low suspension- I bought the bike used with very few miles on it, so I don't know if anything was changed (lowered) with the suspension. It seems to sit at the same height as other stock bikes. I have to wonder if maybe the first owner didn't notice some issues and traded it after owning only a few months? The bike is a 2018 Street Glide Standard 115th Anniversary edition.
2. Tire pressure- To be honest, I'm not super **** about tire pressures. I inflate them to "book" pressure 36/40. I don't ever load the bike, I ride solo (wife isn't into it). The tires have about 4k miles on them, could they already be bad?
3. Stiffness/Bottoming out- Honestly I can't tell if it seems to be bottoming out due to being too soft or too stiff? To me, it feels really stiff, I weigh about 190lbs, but I do notice a decent amount of front end drive under braking.
4. What brand/model do the 2019's run? The 2- bikes we had felt like completely different bikes compared to my farm tractor. If you blindfolded me and put me on those 2019's I would have not even known that they were the same model (one was an RG, but same basic bike)
5. New Parts- I had already planned to install the Legend Suspension Revo-A's and Axeo fork inserts. With install that's about $2000. How much are new tires, about $350-400?Im in a position to only lose about $1000 on trade of my bike, so a new Road Glide might actually make sense. LOL!
